Postpartum hemorrhage, defined as excessive blood loss after birth, is the leading cause of maternal death in the world, claiming the lives of over 125,000 mothers every year. Inability to control postpartum bleeding can require a woman to receive multiple blood transfusions, and in severe cases, a full hysterectomy. Accordingly, it is desirable to control such postpartum bleeding, if possible, at its onset. The cause of postpartum hemorrhage, in approximately 80% of cases, is uterine atony, which is the inability of the woman's uterus to contract after delivering the child. Risk factors for uterine atony include prolonged stage of labor, preeclamsia, and multiparity.
Postpartum hemorrhage has been traditionally treated using oxytoxic agents, hormonal agents that induce muscle contraction. Unfortunately, studies have increasingly shown that oxytoxic agents do not significantly reduce either the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage or the amount of blood lost. Some studies have even indicated that oxytoxic agents are being overused to the point that this treatment increases the risk of uterine atony. Current medical devices and surgical procedures have also proven inadequate in reducing postpartum hemorrhage or the amount of blood lost, and/or are extremely invasive.
It has recently been discovered by the inventors that providing negative pressure within the uterus, in combination with sealing an opening to the uterus or vagina at the distal end, can rapidly induce uterine contraction to counteract uterine atony, thus reducing or entirely stopping uterine hemorrhaging. Providing negative pressure may furthermore be performed in a non-invasive (i.e., non-surgical) manner, effectively removing an inadequacy of other hemorrhage-controlling options. With the knowledge of this discovery, the inventors have created an improved uterine hemorrhage controlling system and method.